Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 7 gaming headset hands-on

Posted on 24/02/2013 by Sarah Silbert

Mad Catz announced the F.R.E.Q. 7 gaming headset last week, and the company has the $200 cans on hand here at Mobile World Congress. As you may recall, the marquee spec is Dolby Pro Logic IIx processing, which expands 5.1-channel audio to 7.1 channels for a richer aural experience. Another cool feature: these over-ears come bundled with both a standard stereo connector and a cord with USB for connecting directly to your computer (both have mini-USB on one end). The F.R.E.Q. 7 wasn't plugged in so we can't speak to sound quality, but they feel lightweight, and the red color really pops in real life. (There's also a matte black option.) The devices are currently available for pre-order, but you can get a hands-on look now in our gallery.

Gallery: Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 7 gaming headset hands-on

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

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Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays

Posted on 05/11/2012 by Ben Gilbert

Mad Catz RAT mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays

Ever since Batman popularized the matte finish with his snazzy Batsuit, product designers have gone Bat-crazy over the finish choice. Today, Mad Catz pushes back on that new normal, re-introducing its R.A.T. line of gaming mice in three new, glossy colors: white, red, and (yes, another) black. That includes the entire R.A.T. line, from the R.A.T.³ to the M.M.O.⁷ and everything in between. And those new colors are already available from Mad Catz, anxiously awaiting wrapped boxes and new computers equipped with XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Oh the sectoids you'll kill!

Continue reading Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays

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Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays

Posted on 05/11/2012 by Ben Gilbert

Mad Catz RAT mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays

Continue reading Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 5: Gaming Keyboard, Assemble!

Posted on 24/10/2012 by Shane McGlaun

Sometimes it seems like gaming keyboards are a dime a dozen. They are all pretty much the same; you can count on anti-ghosting technology and backlighting along with the ability to record macros on many keyboards. Mad Catz has a new gaming keyboard called the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 that’s welcomingly different.

mad catz strike 5

The keyboard has a modular design with five different components that can be assembled depending on your game playing desires. The central keyboard section has your tactile QWERTY layout and backlighting with 16 million colors to choose from. The number pad section of the keyboard is removable and has a number of macro keys that allow you to program multiple keystrokes to one key. It also comes with two lengths of cable allowing you to have it closer or further from the main section of the keyboard.

mad catz strike 5 components

The keyboard also has a Control Module with a tiny OLED display and extra macro recording keys for shortcuts, as well as media controls. The S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 also has a three-part active palm rest and two wrist rests for comfortable use. The palm rest has its own thumb wheel and an action button giving even more control over your game.

The Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 keyboard can be pre-ordered right now for $199.99 (USD), and is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8.

Mad Catz announces the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 keyboard for pro gamers, pre-order now for $200

Posted on 24/10/2012 by Jamie Rigg

There are keyboards, and then there are Mad Catz keyboards... and now, the company's constructed a new pro peripheral to rest your wrists on -- the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5. Just like the other mission control center we saw a few months ago, it features a modular design allowing various layouts, high-performance keys with customized backlighting, and 21 programmable macro buttons. The main difference here is the touchscreen component of the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 has been substituted for the "E.Y.E. OLED Command Module," which is used for easy access to keyboard functions, quick-launch triggers, and can display respawn timers for coordinating those second-specific attacks. Cash-strapped pros will be pleased to hear the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 is cheaper than its predecessor, and you can head to the source link to sacrifice $200 on a pre-order now. Mad Catz won't tell us what alien race is supplying the keyboards, nor an exact shipping date -- all we know is that they're expected "very soon."

Gallery: Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 gaming keyboard press images

Continue reading Mad Catz announces the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 keyboard for pro gamers, pre-order now for $200

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Mad Catz announces the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 keyboard for pro gamers, pre-order now for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 06:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 Professional Gaming Keyboard

Posted on 23/10/2012 by Johan

Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 Professional Gaming Keyboard

Mad Catz Interactive has unveiled the new S.T.R.I.K.E.5 Professional gaming keyboard for PC. It is perfect for RPG, FPS, MMO, RTS, MOBA or any other video game genre. Using this gaming keyboard, you can customize your keyboard’s physical layout, backlighting, and programmable keys to meet your needs. The Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 provides 21 programmable macro buttons over three modes to create 63 user-definable commands. The keyboard also has nine programmable buttons on the E.Y.E. panel plus four more on the removable Function Strip, three controls on the palm rest, and five additional programmable keys on the NumPad. No word on pricing at this moment. [Product Page]

Tritton Kunai headset ships to chatty PS3 and PS Vita gamers

Posted on 10/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

There are plenty of gaming headsets, but only so many specifically tuned to the PlayStation audience that aren't made by Sony itself. Mad Catz' Tritton label has just shipped a version of its Kunai wired headset optimized for both the PS3 and the PS Vita that might redress that (admittedly minor) deficit. About the only real customization for Vita owners is the option for a shorter 3-foot cord, but PS3 owners can plug in through USB and adjust voice volume independently from the gunshots and explosions. Regardless of which game console the Kunai links to, there's a modest 25Hz to 20KHz headphone frequency range and few frills aside from a detachable boom microphone. Tritton is mostly counting on the price to lure us in, which just might work -- at $60, berating players in-game with a Kunai will cost as much as one of the games themselves.

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Tritton Kunai headset ships to chatty PS3 and PS Vita gamers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tritton’s $150 720+ gaming headset helps you pwn newbs with 7.1 virtual surround sound

Posted on 30/08/2012 by Joe Pollicino

Lately, it seems like few weeks go by without Tritton announcing a new gaming headset. Now that its full range of Xbox-licensed cans has reached shelves, the company seems focused on updating its former corded stars. Following the recently announced Ax Pro+ "true 5.1" headset ($200), Tritton has unveiled the 720+ 7.1 surround sound headset ($150) -- the successor to the venerable AX 720. Aside from sporting the Pro+'s edgier aesthetics, the 720+ has been gifted with beefier 50mm drivers (up from 40 on the 720) for improved fidelity and the same selective microphone monitoring found on the Warhead. As expected, an included Dolby decoder box handles the audio processing and connections, while an inline remote lets you set your levels. Rather than having multiple drivers dedicated for each audio channel crammed in both earcups like the Pro+, the 720+ takes a virtual route with Dolby Headphone -- a method that's generally produced better results to our ears for owning, and clearly hearing the virtual battlefield. The 720+ is set to arrive this September, and it's currently up pre-order direct from Tritton.

Continue reading Tritton's $150 720+ gaming headset helps you pwn newbs with 7.1 virtual surround sound

Filed under: Gaming, Portable Audio/Video, Wearables

Tritton's $150 720+ gaming headset helps you pwn newbs with 7.1 virtual surround sound originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 23:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tritton Warhead 7.1 two-way headset for Xbox 360 now shipping

Posted on 22/08/2012 by Joseph Volpe

Companies are no strangers to superlatives where new kit is concerned and Mad Catz is definitely no exception. With the release of its newest flagship, the Tritton Warhead 7.1, the outfit's claiming a novelty in the Xbox 360 space, labeling these cans as the "first... to deliver two-way communication" without the need for wires or controller adapters. Made specifically for Microsoft's green X gaming platform, the pair of 50mm drivers pump out Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound over a 5.8GHz channel for up to 33ft of interference-free smack talk. The headset also offers gamers the ability to monitor their in-ear voice levels (SVM), control the volume of other players, as well as select EQ presets for a variety of media playback. And just so you never have to press pause to keep the friendly banter (read: cusses) flowing, the company's bundled in a dock and pair of of Li-ion batteries for "hot-swappable" recharging. These over-ears are available now for a cool $299 at BestBuy and the company's own site, so if you take your first-person action seriously, prepare to part with a few Benjamins. Official presser after the break.

Continue reading Tritton Warhead 7.1 two-way headset for Xbox 360 now shipping

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Tritton Warhead 7.1 two-way headset for Xbox 360 now shipping originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tritton Warhead 7.1 Wireless Surround Sound Headset for Xbox 360 review

Posted on 03/08/2012 by Joe Pollicino

This is for sure: if you're a gamer seeking a primo wireless surround sound headset, now is a very good time to buy. It's been less than two weeks since Astro Gaming's A50 wireless surround headset impressively traversed the Engadget review gauntlet, and now the crazy kitties that are Mad Catz and Tritton are up for a turn. It's taken the duo well over a year and a half to get its full range of Microsoft-licensed Xbox 360 headsets off the ground, with the flagship Warhead 7.1 Wireless Surround Sound Headset set to hit shelves in just a few days.

Aside from packing some innovative and exclusive features for Xbox 360 users, it stands as the only totally integrated wireless headset for the system -- for the first time you won't need a pesky controller-to-headset cable or a controller-mounted Bluetooth dongle for voice chat. We've been fortunate enough to get an early look at this $300 Dolby Headphone-enabled headset, so join us past the break and we'll let you know whether it's been worth the wait -- or whether it's too much, too late.

Gallery: Tritton Warhead 7.1 review